


the art of missing you

by avennvares



Series: Types of Kisses [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Breakup Fic, College AU, M/M, Mentions of alcohol, college party, kiss prompt, post breakup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24721588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avennvares/pseuds/avennvares
Summary: When Riku went off to college, he left behind all he had known: the Islands and the hot sand and salty, ocean water; friends he had known since birth; and Sora, who he had broken up with before leaving. The thing about being left behind is that Sora sees Riku everywhere, and can’t find a moment to try to get over him.He goes to a party with Kairi and sees a familiar face.Inspired by a kiss prompt on tumblr.
Relationships: Mentioned Kairi/Olette, Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Types of Kisses [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763365
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	the art of missing you

**Author's Note:**

> Post-breakup kiss - A kiss that catches you by surprise. It says, “I love you, I miss you, I want you back.”

“The last thing I want to do is go to Hayner’s party,” Sora said, kicking at the stray dirt on the sidewalk. Walking next to him was Kairi— who else would it be?— her freshly cut red hair blowing gently in the wind. She bounced as she walked, humming with each step. 

“It’ll be good for you to get out,” she told him. Maybe she was right. Maybe it would be good. But he couldn’t imagine having fun. Especially now. He told her as much.

”Sora,” she chided, stopping in her tracks and grabbing his shoulders. She stared intensely into his eyes, mouth set in a hard, determined line. “It’s been four months. _Four months._ ” She shook him, a little too hard for Sora’s liking, likely rattling his brain around in his skull. “You cannot keep mourning this relationship!”

Sora pulled away, two fingers rubbing at his forehead; he could feel the headache creeping up on him. “Four months is nothing compared to the three years we were together, Kairi.” Three really great, really perfect years. Sora used to be sure that he and Riku were going to get married. They never had any fights, not really. Okay, they had a few fights. But it was always over really dumb stuff! Like Sora not taking his classes seriously or Riku forgetting to answer Sora’s texts and leaving him on read. Dumb, small, inconsequential stuff.

And that small, dumb stuff in no way outweighed the big, great stuff. Like their movie nights at the outdoor cinema in Twilight Town, where they would share the biggest bucket of popcorn they could buy and Sora would always get a stomach ache and have to put the seat down on the ride home. Or their barefoot walks on the beach, hot sand burning their soles and racing each other to the water for a quick cool off. Or their kissing, which always left Sora wanting more even if it went on for hours and his butt started to cramp up. And still, with all that good, all the perfections of their relationship, Riku had broken up with him.

And went off to college in Radiant Garden. A college so prestigious and hard to get into that Sora could never follow him. Even if he wanted to. And Sora didn’t want to. He loved his home, his beach and his ocean and their old hangout. He loved the palm trees and the calls of the seagulls overhead. How could he ever leave all of that behind?

How could Riku?

Sora knew Riku wanted to go to college. It wasn’t like the revelation that he was going away came completely out of left field. Sora used to lay on Riku’s bed while he filled out the applications, watching the ceiling fan spin round and round as Riku spent hours at his desk, clacking away at his keyboard.  
He’d hoped that Riku would stay closer to home. Go to university in Twilight Town, where Kairi went. Kairi came home every other weekend and texted him while she was away. Sora had just assumed Riku would go there. He’d gotten accepted there; of course he had. It was a standard university. It didn’t look as good on a resume as RGU did, but it would still be higher education. It would still be more than Sora was doing. 

Riku got accepted to Twilight Town first. They had celebrated with just the two of them with pizza and warm soda, in Sora’s childhood bedroom where they used to jump on the bed and pretend the floor was lava.

And then Riku got accepted to Radiant Garden, and the celebration took place on the beach during the nighttime, Sora’s face warm from the giant bonfire. Everyone from the island was there: Kairi, Selphie, Wakka, and Tidus. Sora’s older brother Vanitas had gotten them alcohol because Sora had begged and pleaded with him and offered to clean his car _and_ his room. Red cups were in everyone’s hands. It was clear which college Riku would choose.

But still, that was okay. How could Riku not have accepted the better school? It was his dream college— he’d toured it in the fall semester of their senior year, spent the whole weekend out of town and came back enamored. It was all he talked about for a long time. Sora loved that he loved that university so much. And so he accepted the situation for what it was and scoured the internet for tips on how to have a long distance relationship. He’d learn. He’d be sad, but he would learn. Because he loved Riku, and they had been together for three years.

Sora was not at all expecting Riku to break up with him. 

He’d went over to Riku’s house early one morning, a packet of papers in his hand. Riku was set to leave in just two days, and Sora hadn’t seen him much while he packed and got ready for the move. He couldn’t wait any longer; Sora had to see Riku now. He hadn’t slept the night before, and by the time the sun broke the horizon, Sora was printing out everything he had found on long distance relationships. He was going to give copies to Riku.  
When he got to Riku’s house, Riku had come out and stood with Sora in the front yard. Sora had been expecting him to invite him in. Instead, the sun beat down on their backs and sweat began to bead on his forehead. 

“I don’t see it working, Sora,” Riku had said. He read over the papers carefully and then shook his head and held them back out to Sora. “I think it’s better if we break up now instead of pretend that we might somehow stay together the four years I’m away.” 

Sora’s heart had broken; completely shattered. A break up he been the last thing he expected. He stood there, in front of his new ex-boyfriend, trying to keep it together. His breath shook as he inhaled. “Okay.” He was embarrassed by the the high octave of his voice. “Okay,” he said again.  
What else could possibly be said?

“I don’t want to go to Hayner’s party,” Sora said to Kairi again. He opened his front door and stepped inside, sighing in relief at the cool, air conditioned living room. “I don’t want to go to your college town and hang out with your college friends and pretend I’m having a good time.”

“You might have an actual good time!” Kairi persisted, throwing her school bag in the corner. “My brother will be there.”  
Kairi’s brother was a year older than Sora’s, who was two years older than him. He’d always gotten along well with Axel back when he lived on the Island. 

“Does that make you feel better?” she asked. 

It did. It meant that someone would be familiar besides Kairi. 

“I’ll go,” he said.

—

He went. The house Kairi’s new friend Hayner rented appeared spacious from the outside, but was entirely too crowded on the inside, loud music blaring from a large stereo system against a wall. Sora pushed his way through the crowded living space, glancing around for Kairi or Axel and trying to keep the beer from splashing out of the three cups gathered in his hands. 

Where did they go? They were by the stairs when Sora went to go get refreshments, and now they were gone. Why would they just disappear when they sent Sora to get beer? How obnoxious.

He turned around in a tight circle, casting his gaze to all corners of the home, and froze. 

Well, he didn’t find Kairi.

But why the hell was Riku at a Twilight U party? 

Sora hated that his heart stuttered in his chest at the sight of him. He’d gotten a haircut, and though Sora had always been an advocate for Riku’s longer locks, he couldn’t deny that this new look worked for him. Sora yearned for him, desperately wanting to go to his side and say hello. Maybe he would have, if Riku hadn’t been leaning flirtatiously against the wall and talking to two identical blond, spikey haired boys.

Well, he had a type. Fantastic.

Turning 180 degrees, Sora quickly began to put distance between him and his ex. _Don’t look up, don’t look up,_ he thought, distracted. He really should’ve been watching where he was going.

He hit something solid, three too-full cups of beer spilling down a guy’s t-shirt. “What the hell, man?” Sora recognized him as New Pal Hayner, the host of this little shindig. Oh, god.

“I’m so sorry,” Sora said. He grabbed the hem of his own shirt, beginning to pull it up. “Here, you can have mine, and I’ll take yours. I don’t mind smelling like yeast!” Hayner grabbed his hand, pushing his shirt back down.

“Are you insane? This is my house, I can just grab another shirt.” Hayner wrung the shirt out, beer pouring onto the carpet. Sora wondered if that was covered by the deposit. 

“Oh, well, if you’re sure…,” Sora trailed off, finally having spotted Kairi, butt situated on the back of a battered looking couch with a brunette girl leaning on her knees. He watched as Kairi smiled and leaned forward, her lips meeting the girls. 

Ah. So that’s where she had gone. 

“Excuse me,” Sora said, not realizing Hayner was already headed towards the stairs. He made his own way over to his best friend. “Woah.” The brunette pulled away from Kairi, and they both looked at Sora— Kairi looked guilty, as if she had been caught doing something bad. “You didn’t tell me you were seeing someone!”

Kairi tucked her hair behind her right ear. “Sora, this is Olette,” she introduced, gesturing to the now sheepish looking girl. “My girlfriend. I was going to tell you!” She added the last part hastily; he wondered if betrayal showed on his face. Kairi had been the first person he came to after he started dating Riku. 

He pushed that feeling away, to the back burner. They’d talk later. Instead, he held out his hand to Olette. “It’s nice to meet you!” 

Olette took it, finally smiling at him. “Kairi has told me so much about you,” she gushed. “I can’t wait to visit the Islands sometime!”

“We will definitely show you a good time when you do,” Sora promised. He turned his attention to Kairi. “I got you that drink you asked for, but I spilled it all over the host.”

Kairi looked mortified while Olette just giggled. “He probably deserved it,” Olette said. “He’s been an ass all night.” She swiveled around and pointed in a certain direction. “Probably because Roxas has been flirting with that guy from Radiant Garden nonstop.”

Sora had this feeling in the pit of his stomach— that if he looked to where Olette was pointing, he would know the person this Roxas was flirting with. Maybe, he thought, maybe there were a lot of Radiant Garden kids at this party. But he looked, and he saw exactly what he thought he’d see. Riku, now with only one spikey haired blond boy instead of two. Kairi saw it, too.

“Sora,” she started, hand out stretching to rest on his shoulder. But as fate would have it, Riku chose that moment to glance up. Surprise filled his expression. Sora could see it from across the room. He could see Riku’s lips form the shape of his name. 

“I gotta go,” Sora said. He began to push through the crowd, desperate to find his way outside. He presses his hands against the screen door, shoving too hard; it opens with a bang as cool, night air fills his lungs. Hands run through his chocolate brown hair, over and over again. “Oh God,” he whispers. Riku totally saw him, and his reaction was to run away. How did that look? He should have smiled coyly at him, gave him a little wave, made it look like he was happy. Running away means Sora was trying to avoid him… and yeah, he was, but Riku didn’t need to know that. Riku didn’t need any reason to think that Sora was still thinking about him, pining after him post breakup. It made Sora look pathetic.

“Sora?”

Oh, great.

His hands released his hair and he spun on his heel, looking towards the front porch. There he was, the very person that Sora desperately wanted to avoid and desperately wanted to see. The light from the moon made Riku’s hair look even more grey, almost white. “Oh, hey, Riku!” His voice cracked as he spoke, causing him to wince. Way to go. Way to sound totally, completely fine. 

“I didn’t realize you’d be here,” Riku said. He descended the stairs, standing just three feet away from Sora. Sora fought the urge to take a step back. No, he fought the urge to turn back around and sprint away. 

“Kairi’s friends with the people who are throwing the party,” Sora explained. See? he thought. He had reason to be here. He was invited by someone who was invited. “I didn’t expect you to be here.” Who invited you? he was silently asking. Why are you here, of all places? Why now?

“My friend Ven invited me.”

“Who’s Ven?” Sora knew all of Riku’s friends; Ven was not one of them. 

“A friend from university. His twin brother lives here, and Ven invited a group of us to come to his hometown for the weekend.” 

Sora rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. “So, you came all the way from Radiant Garden for a party?” He didn’t miss the way Riku’s eyes quickly flicked to the right; did he look… nervous? Shy? That was out of character for the Riku he knew. 

“I…,” Riku paused, taking a moment to clear his throat. He started again. “I came all the way from Radiant Garden using the excuse of the party. I was going to come see you at the Islands tomorrow.”

“You were coming to see me?” 

“And Kairi,” Riku continued. He scratched his head, took a quick, shallow breath. “But mostly you. I missed you.” 

Everyday for the past six months, Sora had imagined Riku coming home and telling Sora that he was thinking about him, missing him, wanting him. But now that he was here, all Sora could feel was anger. The way he had said “missed” instead of “miss.” As if Riku didn’t still miss Sora now that he was right in front of him; Sora had been missing Riku since he accepted the spot at Radiant Garden University. It didn’t matter that physically Riku was here, Sora would not stop aching. He would not stop missing.

“Then you shouldn’t have needed an excuse!” Sora shouted. He walked forward, jabbing his index finger into Riku’s chest. “If you missed me, if you really wanted to see me, you would have just come! If you wanted to see me, you wouldn’t have been flirting with some blond skater guy at some stranger’s party. You would have just came to the Islands, you would have just come to see me…” He trailed off as his vision became blurred with hot tears. “If you missed me,” he whispered, “you wouldn’t have broken up with me…” 

“I was scared.”

They’d known each other since they were kids; they used to explore caves on the Islands, or see how far they could wade into the ocean, or climb so high into trees that the limbs thinned out and were too weak to hold them. Sora had often expressed fear— fear of darkness, of sharks, of heights, but Riku… Riku never once admitted to feeling scared. Riku had always jumped to protection; how could he get Sora out of whatever situation they had found themselves in the fastest? He would grab Sora’s hand and lead him to the light, or offer to fight the sharks away with a sharp stick, or shout directions up the tree so Sora could find his footing. 

Riku wasn’t afraid of anything.

“I was scared that if I left, and we were still dating, that we would break up and it would hurt more. It was selfish. But I was scared. And then I was scared of coming home. What if you didn’t want to see me? I wouldn’t blame you…” 

Sora’s hand flattened against Riku’s chest, and he stretched up. He lips met with Riku’s, moving against them in a familiar way. They’d kissed hundreds, no, thousands of times, but it was never like this. Sora’s tears wet both of their cheeks, Riku’s hands fisting in the fabric of Sora’s jacket and pulling him closer, closer, closer. Like Riku wanted to absorb Sora into himself. 

His tongue swiped against Sora’s mouth, and Sora’s gasp turned into a giggle as he moved to deepen their kiss. 

Minutes passed, the kiss gradually becoming less fevered, but never less passionate. Carefully, gentally, they pulled away from each other. Riku reached up and wiped Sora’s tears away with his thumbs, caressing his cheeks at the same time. “I miss you,” Riku whispered. His eyes intense, steady on Sora’s own.

“I miss you, too…”


End file.
